Operator Interface

Operator Model

Location: The Operator can either be located at the site or at the Operational Support Facility (OSF) in San Pedro de Atacama.

Skills: ALMA Operators should have experience with computing and electronics, with a much higher weighting toward the computing skills.

Operator Responsibilities

The ALMA Operator will be responsible for the smooth operation of the ALMA by performing the following functions:

1.

Tends to the daily observing schedule, which may involve an appropriate level of interaction with the dynamic scheduling system. For example, the Operator should review the observing schedule for his shift and contact the appropriate staff regarding possible problems with this schedule.

2.

Ensures overall safety at the site by monitoring work schedules of engineers and technicians working at the site. For example, if a telescope is taken out of service for maintenance or repair, the Operator is the main contact point for information regarding the progress of this repair work.

3.

Takes care of ``routine'' operational tasks, which may include the acquisition and analysis of:

(a)

baseline determination measurements which follow antenna reconfiguration;

(b)

pointing measurements;

(c)

flux calibration measurements.

Operator Interface Software

In order to support additional (remote) monitoring of the array system, the Operator interface software should be made available from any location. A good operational model for such a system would be any of the remote monitoring systems available at the existing millimeter array and single antenna facilities (OVRO, BIMA, NRAO 12 Meter, PdBI). This interface should include:

1.

a basic ``current array status'' display, which includes information such as current pointing position for the array (in a variety of coordinate systems), receiver status, and correlator configuration;

2.

a weather display indicating the current site conditions;

3.

a video display from cameras at strategic locations on the site (an extreme would be to place a video camera at each telescope pad location);

4.

a ``current integration'' display.

Note that the monitor information within this interface will need to be accessible from everywhere.